Tell us about your business and how did you get started. HelloCollege is one of the nation’s largest providers of college counseling and tutoring services to high school students and their families. We started in the Chicago area in 2012 and have since grown nationally and internationally. We’ve worked 1-on-1 with over 3,000 students since we opened our doors. My team and I have had the pleasure of speaking to over 300,000 families all around the world about academic guidance, test prep, and college planning. It’s been a real joy to help students and families successfully navigate their journeys through high school classes and ACT and SAT prep, and eventually getting them ready for the college application process.

The inspiration for HelloCollege came from my parents who were first-generation immigrants to the United States. They were World War II refugees, so they didn’t have a chance to finish high school let alone go to college. They reinforced in me and my siblings the value of education. I was blessed with the opportunity to attend Northwestern University on a football scholarship. Going to a world-class institution like that really changed my life, being around amazing professors and talented peers. That environment really exposed me to a way of viewing the world and getting ready for my professional career that was really a game changer. After graduating I started a non-profit organization in the 1990s to help inner-city kids in Chicago who were like me. I did that for over 15 years, then eventually got to the place where I started HelloCollege in 2012.

What is unique about HelloCollege and sets you apart? It’s our holistic approach. We have a team of people that support our students that includes counselors, essay coaches, tutors, financial aid and scholarship experts. We have a collective pool of resources that help drive more successful results for our families and our students. For students and families in White Eagle, we are here in Naperville and District 204 in particular. It’s one of the biggest pools of students that we work with. We know the schools, we know the curriculum, we know the community.

Given your expertise, what advice can you offer to the residents of White Eagle? Everything in life works better when you have a plan. Many families make the mistake of not starting until they are too far down the road. The earlier you start the better. Having a plan as early as middle school and into the early years of high school is very important. This entails prioritizing the right high school classes to take, activities to join, college options based on your child’s interests, all while considering the family’s budget. I’ve never had a family tell me that they wish they started later. I always have families tell me they wish they had known about this earlier. That’s my number one piece of advice. Start early, create a plan.

What’s your process for helping students and families find the right college? Our methodology of building the right college list and creating that plan is built around this acronym called SAFE, which stands for our four pillars: Social Fit, Academic Fit, Financial Fit, Employment Fit. We work within these four key areas to help customize the search and help narrow down the vast array of possibilities into a more manageable process. For some students it can mean staying local within Illinois, and for others it’s dreams of going to an Ivy League school. We’ve developed a strong track record over the years. Out of 3,000 students, 97% have been accepted into one of their top 3 schools, with 96% receiving scholarships. However, there’s no magic wand. Students must do the work.

What we do is deeply personal. We care about our kids and our families. This isn’t just a job, it’s a calling. We pride ourselves in building close relationships with our students and their families.

Tell us about your family and personal life. I have three daughters. Catherine is the oldest and is currently living in New York City. She is living out her dream as a professional dancer and model. Ashley just graduated from Glenbard West and is attending Ohio State University on a full-tuition scholarship. She worked hard and did it right. All the things that we profess to our students! Ava is a junior at Glenbard West. My personal hobbies are working out and cooking. My destress in the morning is working out and then end of day whipping up a delicious meal with friends and loved ones. My mom was a chef. I got the grinder work ethic from my dad and the passion for cooking and pleasing people from my mom.

What should juniors and seniors and their families know as we start the 2024-25 school year? We do a series of free webinars every month. These are all on our website sayhellocollege.com. Just go to the “Free Events and Resources” tab. The most important thing for students to focus on during this entire process is to study hard and focus on getting good grades. Our tutoring services are always there for support, and the earlier families can get help for their students the better. For the Class of 2026, families and students should know that Illinois is switching from the SAT to the ACT in the spring. Also, the ACT is undergoing massive reformatting. So, for juniors we are starting test prep early this fall. For any rising seniors the goal is to get applications out before November 1st (early deadline).

What do you enjoy most about your work? With every family we meet, we have an opportunity to make a difference in that student’s life. It’s a responsibility that we take very seriously. When I see these students progress through our program, graduate high school, get accepted into a great college, then graduate college and see them as young adults, it feels good knowing we played a small part in making a positive difference in their lives. That’s very rewarding.

 

Phone: (630) 730-8825

Website: sayhellocollege.com

Facebook: @hellocollege

Instagram: @sayhellocollege